The black sun hangs high

Chapter 300 Two into one
As Theseus described it, the special life forms that once flourished in the oceans of a distant era gradually became concrete.

“I’ve told you more than once that when you want to try to understand these unfamiliar and distant things, it’s best not to habitually use your past common sense or apply your existing knowledge to them… that’s not appropriate.”

In response to Theseus's reminder once again, Hugh nodded in agreement.

He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "I'm very curious about something: why did these creatures and their families, which were large enough to form a race, exhibit such a high degree of similarity in that era? They may not have belonged to the ocean, but they all share similarities with the 'communities' formed by the 'Colors of Life.' What is the reason for this?"

"This is a very academic question..."

Theseus's expression shifted slowly as he replied, "If I were to answer this question in detail, I would probably have to list out a series of reasons, but such conclusions would not be of much practical significance."

"In my opinion, there is only one main reason for all of this."

Theseus raised a finger, and a vast expanse of mist appeared, forming a miniature black sun above it.

At this moment, despite being in the dream sanctuary, Hugh still couldn't help but feel a bone-chilling cold.

Theseus's voice drifted slowly through the cold.

"Under the gaze of the black sun, every race and life in any world must make survival and continuation its primary goal. To achieve this goal, they must ensure that they have enough power, or choose to merge with those who are already powerful."

"And this is the essence of the kamikaku (family clans) and the communities that are composed of kamikaku."

“The roots of destiny, the forest of walkers, the rats that follow the Mother Earth, or the incomplete offspring created by the Dark Abyss Palace... can all be seen as representatives of this group, but only the ‘community’ in the ocean has truly achieved complete integration and fully embraced the will of the gods.”

Hughes frowned. To receive such an evaluation from someone as eccentric as Theseus was enough to prove the special nature of those "ocean communities." So he asked, "Is their special nature entirely due to the 'color of life' mentioned earlier? Did they reappear after disappearing for so long because the 'color of life' began to gather again? Or... were they reawakened by the black sun?"

"Since the successful expulsion of Charon, the 'color of life' in the boundless sea has been completely freed from the control of the divine will. They have been evenly distributed throughout the ocean and have begun to evolve along with the communities that were once united under the same faith."

Theseus slowly explained: "In the past, I have discussed the relationship between Charon and the 'Color of Life' with my 'mentor' more than once. At first, we thought that the 'Color of Life' was a concrete manifestation of the power of that sea god, and that the two should be one... But after Charon was banished, we discovered that their relationship was not like that."

Although Theseus's face was still shrouded in mist, Hugh could sense a strange solemnity emanating from it.

"What was successfully banished seems to be merely a void will. The so-called Calron is actually very likely a manifestation of countless 'colors of life'. Its power has always existed, and it may even be part of that ocean... Therefore, I believe that it has not truly perished, nor has it ever truly left."

"On this issue, I'm afraid I can't give you a precise answer, but from my own perspective, I believe that those so-called 'communities' that have begun to recover and become active will inevitably become a significant threat to you."

As Theseus spoke, the colors of life, which had been confined within the transparent jar, seemed to be affected and began to change their hues once more, appearing even more dazzling and eerie than before.

"However, you have already experienced it firsthand... The 'Color of Life' is not only a source of threat, but also a resource and power that can be utilized."

Theseus snapped his fingers, and the transparent jar returned to its original state. He then picked up the "drink" made from the "color of life" and slowly took two sips: "However, whether to eliminate the 'color of life' as a nuisance or to try to understand and refine it, the choice is entirely yours... or rather, entirely in the hands of these 'masters' of Vann now."

Hearing this, Hugh nodded silently.

Compared to the past, the hints and information provided by Theseus this time are much more important and detailed. At least Hugh can clearly understand the existence of the special power "Color of Life" and its connection with the "community" mentioned by the strange fish. This is definitely an extremely important guide for the residents of Vaan who are still shrouded in mystery.

After successfully processing this information, Hughes then asked, "So, about the so-called 'community'..."

"In the past, this word could indeed symbolize great danger and trouble, but it is different now."

Theseus let out two strange laughs: "It is extremely difficult to reunite the 'Colors of Life' scattered throughout the ocean, so even if 'colonies' have begun to appear, their size and development speed are destined to be very limited... Moreover, with the weapons that Vaan currently possesses, they are already enough to pose a sufficient threat to these guys."

"They are the ones who should be afraid."

Theseus's explanation brought a sigh of relief to Hugh.

His biggest concern now is that, before countries and organizations have reached a new consensus and while the situation in Vanuatu remains turbulent, they will be forced to confront a new and powerful enemy.

At present, the will and attitude of the rulers of various countries are unknown. No one knows whether they will join the Black Sun Society in order to relieve their own pressure when faced with sudden and enormous pressure.

Afterwards, Hugh asked some more detailed questions about the "color of life" and the "community," and only after Theseus began to get impatient did he prepare to get up and leave.

"By the way, can I take some of this with me?"

Before leaving, Hugh carefully pointed to the "drinks" placed on the table.

Seeing this, Theseus sneered, turned back to the computer screen, and casually waved his hand: "Take it if you want, but the remaining quantity is limited. Even I can't drink this stuff all day long."

Hughes was deeply skeptical of Theseus's claims.

However, since the other party had already agreed, Hugh didn't bother to be polite. He quickly picked up the two cans and was about to turn around and leave when Theseus reminded him, "By the way, that child you casually saved before... this stuff is quite helpful to him too."

"However, please remember to pay attention to the dosage, otherwise you will be responsible for the consequences."

……

When Hugh left the dream and woke up, it was already four in the morning.

At this time of day, the port would usually be bustling with activity, as fishermen would always set off, especially those who needed to fish for special species in the nearshore waters. But today, the port was unusually quiet. Looking out from the cabin, Hugh could only see the lights of the sentries and the patrolling soldiers of the Dawn Division. The news of the strange fish caught near the dock last night, along with the unusual phenomena in the nearshore waters recently, had already put most of the fishermen on alert. Earning an income through fishing was certainly important, but if they could not catch any fish and might even lose their lives, it was simply not worth it.

Even so, Hugh could still see lights moving slowly near some docks in the distance.

Those were all small boats, each capable of carrying only three or four people at most.

Clearly, a very small number of fishermen remain skeptical of the recent rumors; for them, making a living remains the most important task.

All Hugh could do for these people was wish them good luck.

Hugh took out the water jug ​​containing "Justina" again, and placed it on the table along with the two cans of "Color of Life" he had brought out from the Dream Sanctuary.

After leaving the Dream Sanctuary, the "cans" that were originally covered with a lot of strange patterns and words have changed. Under the influence of Theseus's power, both cans have turned into translucent glass bottles, which look no different from ordinary alchemical containers. Through the transparent glass walls, Hugh can see the dazzling light and shadow that are constantly flashing inside.

That is the rhythm of "life".

Shug currently lacks a clear plan for dealing with "Justina," whom he rescued from the city of Seren. Based on the illusionary clues provided by the Root of Fate, Shug is certain that this special creation, which combines human will and the power of the Dark Abyss offspring, will have a more complex future. Given time, it may even regain its human outline and appearance and walk in Vaan once again.

However, how exactly should this goal be achieved, and how can we ensure that human will dominates this special creation?

Hughes knew nothing about this.

He unscrewed the kettle and shook it gently. Soon, the soft, translucent black shadow slowly emerged from the kettle.

Justine was probably resting before, but after being forcibly woken up by Hugh, she appeared unusually sleepy. Not only were her movements very slow, but she also seemed limp. After barely managing to crawl out of the kettle, she collapsed onto the table.

Hugh couldn't help but laugh at this listless attitude.

Hugh turned the jug upside down, and some fragments and debris of the magic crystal fell out. These fragments were the product of Justina's eating, and the magic power inside them had been completely absorbed. This showed that Justina's demand for magic power was indeed not low, at least much higher than that of an ordinary mage apprentice.

Seeing that Justine remained listless, Hugh had no choice but to reach out and take a bottle of "Color of Life". Justine naturally noticed this strange presence, and her flat, pancake-like body immediately reformed into a sphere. She wriggled a couple of times, came to the edge of the glass bottle, and quickly spun around twice.

A series of intense emotions, expressing doubt and curiosity, entered Hugh's mind through magical connection.

"what is this?"

“It’s so beautiful!”

"Can I eat it?"

"let me see!"

Hughes was quite exasperated by this childlike way of expressing emotions, so he casually set up several ritual fields nearby that could isolate magical fluctuations, and then carefully opened the glass jar.

A powerful surge of magical energy erupted, causing even the ritual space set up by Hughes to tremble violently. Justine, who was sitting next to the jar, became even more active, her round body trembling. Her semi-transparent body, which was originally predominantly black, seemed to be affected by the "color of life" and began to slowly change color.

Hugh picked up the glass jar, stared at the small shadow in front of him that regarded him as a father, and asked slowly, "Want to try some? But I can only give you a tiny bit."

That's completely nonsense.

The moment Hugh asked the question, a variety of emotional fragments expressing affirmation were poured into him. At the same time, "Justina" even pressed herself against Hugh's hand and, like a real pet, began to touch and rub Hugh's palm with her soft, translucent body.

This situation is somewhat delicate.

It's worth noting that not long ago, the real Justine was standing in front of Hugh and talking to him. Although Hugh didn't know Justine very well, he knew that she was actually a resilient, brave, and extremely self-sacrificing magic scholar.

Even though she later chose to merge with the offspring of the Dark Abyss, this will was not lost...

but now……

Hugh sighed with a headache as he looked at the tiny creation that was "hugging" his left hand fingers and refusing to let go.

But despite the headache, the things that needed to be done still had to be done.

He turned his left hand, gently grasping the soft shadow, then picked up the glass jar with his right hand and slowly tilted it.

The "color of life," which was indistinguishable from liquid, flowed down from the mouth of the can. The crystal-clear, sparkling blue light trailed a beautiful straight line in mid-air before finally falling onto Justina's body.

A wondrous reaction occurs the instant the two come into contact.

The tiny creation began to tremble violently, its soft body outline constantly changing, and its colors began to become richer and more vibrant.

At that moment, Hughes seemed to see oil paint splashed into the water.

It was as if I were witnessing the starry sky reflected in a mirror.

(End of this chapter)